By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Former Graham athlete Nolan Myrick is the new boys’ basketball coach at Burlington Christian Academy.
Myrick, a University of North Carolina alum, has been involved with various levels of basketball coaching for about 25 years.
This is his first head coaching position in a school program.
Myrick, 44, fills the vacancy created by Eric Dudley’s resignation last month.
Myrick said he didn’t anticipate landing in such a situation. He works full-time in IT services.
“This was kind of my retirement plan,” he said of perhaps coaching several years from now. “I didn’t think it was viable (right now). This opportunity came up.”
Recently, Myrick has been involved in coaching middle school-aged girls with the Mid-State Magic/Excel Celtics travel organization. He was previously coaching a boys’ team. He has been involved with boys’ teams as part of Triple Threat NC Basketball, which is based in Burlington.
He also helped conduct a tip-off program with the Burlington Recreation and Parks Department, with the emphasis on skill development rather than games.
This BCA position perked his interest.
“You don’t get many chances to walk into that, and not to mention the whole team coming back,” Myrick said. “It seems like we’ve got a really good group.”
This is Myrick’s first association with BCA, but he said he likes “the dynamics and the support that’s provided.” He said Dudley has been helpful during the transition, while assistant coach Chris James is remaining on the staff.
While in college, he was an assistant coach for Graham under now-former coach Mike Williams. He said he took courses at North Carolina in coaching that helped stimulate his interest in the profession.
Myrick rose through the ranks and became an assistant coach at Division I Georgia Southern, though an NCAA investigation and subsequent penalties related to major academic violations led to his departure there amid a staff overhaul. He previously earned a master’s degree at Georgia Southern.
Myrick was part of the 1998 Graham High School boys’ golf team, which was inducted into the Graham Sports Hall of Fame last spring.
Dudley explains decision
Dudley said he planned to coach the Royals for another season until family considerations caused a change.
“The reason for stepping down is my family,” he said. “This is more about family. This season in my life I cannot have the type of focus on basketball. The Lord led me to this decision.”
Dudley, who remains a teacher at BCA, has two daughters who play sports for the school, and this move allows more time to be involved in those endeavors, he said. There’s also the time commitment connected to an older daughter’s wedding, which is planned for November.
Dudley coached BCA for five years, with last season’s 22-7 record part of the best postseason in program history. The Royals reached the semifinals of the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association’s Class 2-A state playoffs.
He said his role at the school will keep him connected to BCA players.
“I still enjoy being around and involved as a part of the BCA community,” Dudley said.
Dudley said he remains associated with Triad-based Blue Chip Basketball Academy, which provides various offseason opportunities for youth players.
